US Envoy Calls for Taiwan to Build a Drone ‘Hornet’s Nest’ to Deter Aggression

TAICHUNG – The United States’ top envoy to Taiwan said on Thursday that the island should develop a “hornet’s nest” of drones to deter aggression and bolster security.
Despite the absence of formal diplomatic relations, the United States remains Taiwan’s foremost international supporter and firmly backs its military modernization efforts and higher defense budgets.
Taipei says it must strengthen its defenses against growing pressure from Beijing, which asserts sovereignty over the island.
Speaking at a drone forum in Taichung, Raymond Greene – director of the American Institute in Taiwan and the de facto U.S. ambassador – described drones as a “game‑changing opportunity” to boost Taiwan’s security and regional stability.
Greene added that the United States and Taiwan could jointly foster democratic drone manufacturing and fortify the deterrence posture of the free world.
“Fortunately for Taiwan, drones have dramatically empowered defenders even against superior forces,” he noted, citing the conflict in Ukraine.
“Nothing will deter conflict more effectively than transforming Taiwan into a hornet’s nest of airborne, surface‑and‑subsurface drones.”

Drone Spending
Although Taiwan’s administration has prioritized drones and other asymmetric capabilities, the opposition‑controlled legislature in May approved only about two‑thirds of the T$1.25 trillion (US$40 billion) in extra defense funding requested by President Lai Ching‑te, restricting the money to U.S.‑made arms.
The administration has subsequently unveiled a new T$210 billion (US$6.59 billion) package earmarked for surveillance, coastal strike and small unmanned surface drones through 2031.
This week the Kuomintang (KMT), Taiwan’s principal opposition party, introduced its own drone bill that caps total spending at T$240 billion over six years and limits yearly outlays to T$40 billion, financing the program through the regular budget rather than a special fund as the government prefers.
At the same forum, Taichung Mayor Lu Shiow‑yen, a senior KMT figure, urged legislators to “work together” to advance the drone industry.
“From Ukraine to Iran, the character of international warfare has been reshaped by drones and unmanned systems,” Lu remarked, noting that he is frequently mentioned as a potential future presidential candidate.
Taichung serves as a hub for Taiwan’s drone sector, hosting firms such as Thunder Tiger and the major state defense contractor Aerospace Industrial Development Corp. (AIDC).
On Wednesday, President Lai Ching‑te stressed that the demand for drones is urgent.
“Confronting shifting geopolitics and the evolution of modern warfare, developing asymmetric combat capabilities is a national‑defense imperative that is a race against time,” he told a gathering of his Democratic Progressive Party.
Lai continues to reject Beijing’s sovereignty claims, insisting that only Taiwan’s residents should determine the island’s future.

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